Automatic door operator



March 18, 1952 Filed April 5. 1951 G. A. CURTIS AUTOMATIC DOOR OPERATOR 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1 MalCh 18, 1952 G. A. CURTIS 2,589,480

AUTOMATIC DOOR OPERATOR Filed April 5, 1951 SHEETS--SHEET 2 1 ENoR.

and@ #777m Patented Mar. 18, 1952 AUTOMATIC DOOR 'OPERATOR Guy A. Curtis, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor to United States Motors Corporation, Oshkosh, Wis., a corporation of'Wisconsinl Application April 5, 1951, serial No. 219,454

`This invention relates to improvements in automatic door operators, and more particularly to a motor driven operator for a garage door, preferably, although not necessarily of the sectional overhead type.

In my prior application Serial No. 46,956, filed august 31,1948, I have disclosed a vpower driven drier operator wherein Aan `endless chain, having elements of the door operating mechanism connec'ted Lto the opposite vruns thereof, lis driven by a unidirectional electric motor with the provision of control means for automatically breaking `the motor circuit as the door completes its movement .in veither 'the opening or closing operation. The n door operator of my prior application above identified is furthermore of such nature that the DOWer 'driven .means will not interfere with manual operation of the door.

While, generally speaking, 'the lpresent automatic door operator embodies the above desirable features of my prior application, it incorporates certain improvements andrenements thereover. The present improved -structure utilizes between the ,motor and endless chain, a worm drive .and therendless cha-in is Vhoused in a simplified tube of circular .form in cross section.

Further specific objects ofthe invention are to provide 'in an ,automatic door operator of the character described an improved .double "trolley arrangement which .will permit adjustments in the .door .operating mechanism to compensate for doorsof varying VVheights, together with 'an 'improved .link arrangement i'ie'tween'jthe door and the door operating mechanism. i

furthermore specific-object of the invention is vto jprovide in an automatic door operator of .the character described, 'improved means for permitting adjustments to obtain various lengths of ydoor travel within lcertain limits.

A further object ofthe invention is 'to provide, in an lautomatic door operator, `means controlled 'by the 'movement `of the =door for automatically 'lock-ing fthe'latter'in closed position, which :means may also be key controlled and manually-Lop- -erated.

A further more specic vobject of the :invention fis to provide 'in an automatic door operator Lof Vthe characterdescribed, means whereby the-drive for the 4door libecomes ldisengaged :upon manual movement ofthe door whereby the door `may 'be `easily, vmanually operated 4without 'thefdrag'of Athe associated power mechanism.

A Vfurther object of "the invention fi-is to Vprin/'idc an automatic door operator which is -of very simple construction, "is-'strong and durable, is4

16 claims. (cl. 26S-.59)

i easy to install, is Vefncient in operation, which isl relatively inexpensive, and which is `well adapted for Vthe purposes set forth.

With the above and other objects in View y'the invention consists of the improved automatic door operator and its 'parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the yaccompanying dra-wings in which the I Ybroken lines in its overhead open position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the-upper portion of a building vequipped with an overhead door, a fragment of the latter being shown in section, illustrating in side ele- Avation the improved door operating mechanism with portions of the latter being broken away vand in section to show structural details;

Fig. 3 is an enlargedplan View of the housing tube, chain, carriage and motor drive portion ,of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 with portions broken away and in section to show structural details;

Fig. 4 'is a cross sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2, and on a llarger scale; and

.'Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the rear end of the housing` tube with `.the carriage and chain in door raised position, showing also the electric motor and a diagram of the motor and control circuits.

With particular reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings it will be observed that the garage door illus,- trated is of the overhead, type and is formed of a plurality of sections I0 hinged together horizontally and provided along their side edges with laterally projecting shoes II running in tracks at the opposite sides of the door frame, with each track including a straight vertical section I2, an overhead horizontal section I3 and an interconnecting hcurved section I4.

Designed to occupy an overhead position immediately below the ceiling or roof .i5 of the garage or building and above the horizontal sections I 3 of the tracks, preferably intermediate 'said tracks, is a guide or cha-in housing 'I6 .in the form of a hollow metallic tube rof circular form in rcross .section (see Fig. 4) and yextending rearwardly from the door opening. .Along the lbottom side of said tubular guide or housing )I6 is an elongated slot II. Adjacent the opposite back and forth within the tubular guide housing'.A

|6. The body portions of said carriages are cylindrical and each has a depending fin 24 and 25 projecting through the housing slot |1 and adjustably secured by bolts 26 to a bi-layered metal strap 21 in which is provided a series of apertures 28 'for the selective spaced attachment of the carriages 23 and 23'. The series of apertures 28 in the lstrap 21 permit relative spacing of theV carriages 23 and 23 for adjustment purposes. At the forward end of the strap 21 there is a right angularlyv disposed depending extension 21', of bi-layered formation and between the layers thereof is pivotally secured the upper end of a link 3|. As will be observed from Fig. 2, the upper portion of said link 3| which is embraced between the layers of the strap portion 21', is

l provided with a series of apertures 29 vand for adjustment purposes the pivotal connection 30 may `be inserted through a selected aperture 29.

The link 3| is formed with a hollow cylindrical portion.32 housing a coiled spring 33 to lwhich is connected the inner end of.a bell crank lever 34 pivotally mounted on a. plate 35 rigidly secured to and projecting inwardly from the uppermost door section I6. Said plate 35 has a horilzontal series of spaced apertures 36, any one of which may be selected for the pivot pin 31 of the bell crank lever 34, for adjustment purposes. The lower free end of the bell crank lever 34 carries one end ofa chain 38 which, as will hereafter appear, has its lower end connected to the door locking and latching hardware. At this point it may be stated that as the carriage 23 moves from the position of Fig. 2 to the position of Fig. 5, v

a worm 39 which meshes with a worm wheel 43 which normally drives the shaft I8 through a clutch arrangement 4| which will break the drive should-there be anoverload or ajamming of any of the driven parts. Thehworm 3 9" is driven by the motor shaftY 42 of an electricmotor 43, they motor beinga non-reversible or uni-directional mOO'- y The carriage member 23 is provided with a pair of `horizontal projections 44 spaced apart suiiiciently to permit the lower run of the chain 22 to passtherebetween. -The upper portion of the carriage 23 has two similar projections 45 between which the upper run of the chain may pass. Secured transversely to the chain 22 is a switch operating lug 46 which-is sufficiently short to permit its passage between `the'spaced projections 44` or 45. Rearwardly of the lug'4i, considering the direction of travel ofthe chain 22, is a carriage pushing lug 41 which is *somewhat longer than the space betweenv a pair of projections 44 or 45. When the lug 41 is travelling in the lower run of the chain 22 it engages the projections 44 of the carriage 23 and causes the same to travel toward the left, relative to Figs. 1, 2 and 5, until the extreme position of thecarriage 23 is reached, shown in Fig. 5, whereupon the arc of travel of the chain around the sprocket 2| causes the lug 41 to move free of the projections 44 and ultimately reach the upper flight of travel of the chain 22. Upon further movement of the chain the carriage pushing lug 41 will then engage the projections of the carriage 23', caus- .ing the same to travel toward the right relative 'to Figs. l, 2 and 5, until the extreme position of said carriage is reached, shown in full lines of Fig. 1, at which time the door will be in its vertical closed position and the lug 41 will ride around the sprocket 20 free of the carriage projections 45. It is obvious that the carriages 23 and 23' are adjusted relative to the strap 21 and the members 3| and 34 are so adjusted relative to their mountings so that when the lug 41 leaves the projections on the carriages, the door-is either in its fully open or in its fully closed position.

An electric microswitch is indicated by thehumeral 48. operatively mounted on the lower sur'.-

face of the casing of the switch 48 is a switchoperating arm 49 controlling a switch plunger 5|! which is biased downwardly and toward'switch closing position. As will be observed from Fig. 5, the spacing relation of the lugs 46 and` 41` on the chain 22 is such that 'when the lug 41 Vhas pushed the carriage 23 to the fully open position of the door, the lug 46 will be in momentary'engagement with the switch-operating arm 49 to lift the switch plunger 50 and thereby 'open'the Switch which results in'a cessation of operation of the electric motor 43 and the door-operating mechanism, by means of certain electrical connections shown schematically in Fig. 5 and which will now be described. However, the lug 46 always coasts beyond the arm 49 which will permit the lug 41 to clear the projections 44 or 45.

High voltage supply lines 5| include in their circuit a step-down transformer 52. The secondary coil of said transformer is connected to one wire 53 of a low voltage circuit, and another wire 53' in said circuit, and extending from the secondary coil of the transformer, runs to anl electro-magnet 54,-the other wire 55 of the low voltage line being connected to the other terminal of the electro-magnet 54. Wires 53 and 55 may include a switch 56 which is biased toward open position. From a practical standpoint the switch 56 may be a manually operated push button switch or any other type of switch which is open when not positively manipulated to a closed position. When the electro-magnet 54 is engaged by the closing of theswitch 56 and armature 51 is electrically engaged with a contact 58y whereby one of the wires 5| is electrically connected with avwire 53 which extends to the electric motor 43. The other wire 60, connected to the electric motor, extends to the other wire 5| of the high-voltage line. Y

^ When the motor circuit is completed it should be maintained in this condition through onecycle of vdoor operation. For this purpose a holding circuit is-bridged acrossthe terminals of the secondary coil of the transformer 52 and includes the previously mentioned wire 53 extending tothe electro-magnet, a short extent of the wire 55,;a wire 62 leading from wire 55 to an armature contact 63, an armature 64 held in operative relation with the contact 63 by the electro-magnet when the same is energized, a wire 65 leading to the micro-.switch 4 8 to the opposite side of the :secondary coil -of .the transformer.

:The ,door lock ;and llatch hardware, ,best shown in Fig. may be 'more `Vor `less 'conventional :and includes ashaft :6.1 `revoluloly .mounted through 1a panel ofthe docrand'carrying fast on itsopposite ends :inside .and outside .handles 68 and 69 with the latter being key-controlled (not shownl, ,if desired. .Adjacent ,the inner face of `.the .door panel landfast on .the shaft 61 is anarm v1l) .to 'which fthe lower end of thechain 38 is attached, and the shat also .carries ,a disc l'Il which. when turned, :may operate .a latch bolt 'I2 ,to -disengage vthe .latter fromsaid disc ll, allowing ,the handle 69 to turn the ishaftfl..

:The .link 3l and upper 4end :portion of .the ',bell crank .lever v34 .are .resiliently connected through `the medium of .the cylinder 32 and `housed spring 33. When the door isiin yits closed vertical vposition, :the :link 3| and upper :arm of the bell ,crank 'lever '34 Awill .be inclined `beyond vertical and .this :arrangementserves.toautomatically lock the door :in .closed position. Upon manipulation of .the

K handle 69 or'the'handle 68 to exert :a pull von the `chain38, the bell crank lever 34 is rocked .in Aa counterclockwise direction 4.to thereby throw the connection 3'I-'34 to the other .side of vthe vertical -center line, .thereby freeing the mechanism `to permit movement lof 'thegdoon If .the door is lifted manually through the connection 31-34 and .the :strap 21, 'thecarriages 23 land 23 move toward lthe :left (relative Ito the drawings) within .the -guidefhousing I6 and manual movement is yeasily accomplished because said carriages move without movement of the-chain 22. Manual closing of gthe door is atreverse procedure and when the .door is closed, either manually or automatically, through the'over'vertical disposition of the yconlnection `3 I-34, automatic'locking is accomplished.

'With respect to automatic or power operation of 'the1overhead door letit 'first be assumed .that 'thecarriage 23 is in the position shown in Fig. I5 or in the broken line position of Fig. 1 wherein 'thel'door iis fully open. If the operator Wishes to 'set the mechanism into condition for automati- :cally closing 'the overhead door, he may close the switch 56 momentarily by a manual actuation or through the action of an electrical impulse set 'in motion vby any desired means, as by a remote transmitter. This -will cause energization of the electromagne't 54 causing the armatures 51 and i64to-engagethe contacts 58 and 63 respectively, lwhereby the 'circuit to the Imotor 43 is completed and fthe sprocket wheel "21 is driven in a clockwise direction (relative to the drawings). The Vclosing -of :contacts 58 'and 63 `also closes the holding cirfcuit. .As the .chain .22 travels in the direction indicated ibythearrows, the lug 43 will advance along the :upper :ight of the chain 22 land 'the vcarriage pushinglug 41Will likewise advance until itco'ntacts theiprojections 45 on the 'carriage 23 `vfherebyzthe 'carriage lwill be pushed toward the right, :relative to the drawings, and this movem'entof the carriage, lthrough the strap V2l, connections 3I-34, randthe bracket 35 will push the Adoorrfromits fully open toward its closed position l.with :such movement continuing until the carriage 23 reaches the position of Fig. 2 whereupon the door will become locked in its closed position, =aspreviouslydescribed. Movement of the chain L22 .will lthen continue until the switch operating lugckrea'ches and engages the operating arm 49 -.-for the'micro-switch 448, thereby opening the con- 1trol circuit.:deenergizingfthe electromagnet- 54 .and

'breaking the .motorzcircuitat the points :5.1 :and 5.8. Then. the chain .mechanism comes-toa stop. For .the opening :of the door automatically @the :same procedure is followedwhichnecessitates .the momentary closing :of the Aswitch 56 whereupon the switch operating lug 46 will be moved clear of the micro-,switch .arm 43 and the ,holding circuit will "be established. Thereafter, the .carriage pushing lug 41 will engage the `projections v44 .on

the `carriage 23 and the carriages will be moved .to lthe :left .relative sto the drawings. causing the connection 3I--34 .to :first move zbeyond vertical and.subsequently/elevate .the door, with the :movelment of y.the carriages continuing `,until :the -position of .5 is .obtained whereupon `the lug 46 will :actuate `the#micro-switch to fopen the `motor circuit.

In the improved .automatic door .operator the drive from the `electric motor` 43 to lthe driven sprocket 2l which operates the chain 22 zis through a worm :and 'worrnwheel which is smooth .and positive in its action. The .clutch mechanism il .in the driven shaft .i3 prevents a possibility of :any damage to the drive should there be an overload or obstructions. Through .the .arrangement-shown at the right hand .end ,of Figs. 2 and 3, by .turning ,the bolt .'53 the idler sprocket 20- rnay be yshifted .slightly fore or .va-ft to vary the vtension `in :the .chain 22. The .door operator comprises a minimum 4numloer of `unitary parts which xmay reasily 4vbe mounted within a garagea-nd -adjustablyconnected Withian overhead door. The various adjustable arrangements simplify the mounting toinsure full opening and closing movements of'. the door. gui-1e housing .I3 compactly encloses the major portions of the .carriages A23 and 23 and the same may -slide '-within said housing with a minimum friction. The manner in which the Yoperating connections 3| -34 move beyond vertical is effective for automatically locking the door and said connections also eliminate shock or vstrain due 'having a 'straight section, .a `guide vdisposed parallel to said straight section, rst and second carriages -slidable `withinsaid guide, 'a strap adjustably connecting vsaid vcarriages in longitudinally spaced 'relation/a lever adjustably pivotally connected to-saidfstrap and adjustably pivotally y:connectedto a door slidable on fsaid track, a sprocket wheel mounted adjacent each end of :said guide, an `electric'motor for turning one 'of said sprocket wheels in a given direction only, an endless'c'hain running over said sprocket Wheels,'a protuberance mounted on said chain adapted when travelling along ione'ight thereof to engage said first carriage 'and `push 'it in one direction and ladapted when travelling along the other flight of the chain to engage saidl second carriage and 'to push it in the other direction the movementvof the protuberance around either sprocket wheel disengaging it from a carriage-and permitting movement of the connected carriages indenenientiy of lsaid chain, a circuit for .said electric motor, `a switch in the motor circuit, and .a 4second The cylindrical .,protuberance carried by said chain in spaced t relation to the first mentioned protuberance for operating said switch to automatically terminate travel of the chain when either carriage is at 1'; the end of its path of movement within said guide.

2.v In a door operating mechanism, a track hav- 'ing a straight section, a tubular, cylindrical guide disposed parallel to said straight section, rst

and second carriages slidable within said guide,

-a strap adjustably connecting said carriages in vllongitudinally spaced relation, a lever adjustably #pivotally connected to said strap and adjustably -pivotally connected to a door slidable on,said

track, a sprocket wheel mounted adjacent each end of said guide, an electric motor, a worm and k worm wheel drive between said motor and one of said sprocket wheels forturning the latter in 1 a given direction only, a clutch associated with said drive, an endless chain running over said sprocket wheels, and a protuberance mounted on said chain adapted when travelling along one Y night thereof to engage said rst carriage Aand push it in one direction and adapted when travel- 1 ling along the other flight of the chain to engage said second carriage and to push it in the other t direction, the movement of the protuberance raround either sprocket wheel disengaging it from A a carriage and permitting movement of the connected carriages independently of said chain.

3. In a door operating mechanism, a track, a

horizontally disposed guide, rst and second carriages slidable Within said guide, a horizontally disposed strap adjustably connecting saidV car- 'riages in longitudinally spaced relation, a Vlever adjustably pivotally connected to said strap and adjustably pivotally connected to a door slidable on said track and having its major extent subi .stantially vertically disposed, there being a resilient section in said lever, a sprocket wheel v -mounted adjacent each end of said guide; an electric motor for turning one of said sprocket wheels in a given direction only, an endless chain running over said sprocket Wheels, a protuberance mounted on said chain adapted when travelling along one `flight thereof to engage said iirst carchain to engage said second carriage and to push it in the other direction, the movement of the protuberance around either sprocket Wheel disengaging it from a carriage and permitting movement of the connected carriages independently' of. said chain, the movement of said first carriage in one direction opening the door to which said lever is connected and the movement of said second carriage in the opposite direction closing the door to which the lever is connected, said lever in pushing the door to its closed position, inclinan electric motor for turning one of said sprocket wheels in a given direction only, an endless chain running over said sprocket Wheels, a protuberance riage and push it in one direction and adapted vwhen travelling along the other flight of the mounted on said chain adapted when travelling along one night thereof to engage said first carriage and push it in one direction and adapted when travelling along the other night of the chain to engage said second carriage and to push it in the other direction, the movement of the protuberance around either sprocket wheel disengaging it from a carriage and permitting movement of the connected carriagesindependently of said chain, a circuit for said electric motor, a switch in the motor circuit, and a Asecond protuberance carried by said chain in advance of the first mentioned protuberance for operating said switch to automatically terminate travel of the chain when either carriage is at the end of its path of movement within said guide.

5. In a door operating mechanism, a track having a straight section, a tubular, cylindrical guide4 disposed parallel to said straight section, first and second carriages having cylindrical portions slidable within said guide, a strap exteriorally of Said guide adjustably connecting said carriages in longitudinally spaced relation, a lever adjustably pivotally connected to said strap and adjustably pivotally connected to a door slidable, on said track, a connection for manually rocking said lever, a sprocket wheel mounted adjacent each end of said guide, an electric motor, a worm and worm Wheel drive between said motor and one of said sprocket wheels for turning the latter in a given direction only, a clutch associated with said drive, an endless chain running over said sprocket Wheels, means for adjusting the tension of said chain, and a protuberance mounted on said chain adapted when travelling along one night thereof to engage said rstcarriage and push it in one direction and adapted when travelling along the other flight of the chain to engage said second carriage and to push it in the other direction, the movement of the protuberance around either sprocket Wheel disengaging it from a carriage and permitting movement of the connected carriages independently of said chain. y

6. In a door operating mechanism, a track, a horizontally disposed guide, rst and second carriages slidable within said guide, a horizontally disposed strap adjustably connecting said carriages in longitudinally spaced relation, a bellcrank lever adjustably pivotally connected at one end portion to said strap and adjustably pivotally connected to a door slidable on said track and having its major extent substantially vertically disposed, there being a resilient section in said lever, a sprocket wheel mounted adjacent each end of said guide, an electric motor, a worm and worm wheel drive between'said motor and one of said sprocket wheels for turning the latter in a given direction only, a clutch associated with said drive, an endless chain running over said sprocket Wheels, a protuberance mounted on said chain adapted when travelling along one flight 'thereof to engage said first carriage and push it in one direction and adapted when travelling along the other flight of the chain to engage said second carriage and to push it in the other direction, the movement of the protuberance around either sprocket wheel disengaging it from a carriage and permitting movement of the con'- nected carriages independently of said chain, the movement of said first carriage in one direction opening the door to which said lever is connected and the'movement of said second carriage in the opposite direction closing the door to whichfthe lever is. connected, said lever in pushing the door 9 to its closed position, inclining its major extent to one side of Vertical to thereby releasably lock the door in its closed position, and a connection extending to said bell-crank lever for manually rocking the major extent to the other side of -5 vertical for door unlocking purposes.

GUY A. CURTIS.

REFERENCES n CITED The following references are of record in the w ile of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Lemon June 14, 1927 Connelly Aug. 30, 1927 Blodgett June 12, 1934 Konter July 17,1934 Kahliff June 22, 1937 Foster Mar. 26, 1940 Collins Nov. 11, 1941 Cook July 22, 1947 

